First method. ; split is vs was. The printing press was very influential certainly, when it came into being. Therefore, it entails a past tense. Now no one can say whether it is still as influencial. So all is verb choices are out. With A, B, C, D gone, only E is left.

Second method. Split than vs as, than is required because it is comparative degree. C, D, E remain . Drop C and D for using present tense. E survives
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Answer should be E.In my view in option D "it is none " is adding redundancy to the sentence.Shifting from present to past is also making the sentence odd in D.
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I picked E as well based on "than" split and construction. OA appears to be D? Is this right?
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IMO also E.. Can someone please share the OA..
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Here are my two cents after learning a few things in the past..

First and foremost, in the original sentence there is a comparison between "major developments in information technology" and "printing press". What is wrong here?
Comparing major development and printing press is wrong. Also, there is an error of Idiom "influential as" is wrong.

Why E is wrong - "none" was more influential than is incorrect because here "none" refers to one type of development and is being compared with "printing press"
For example, instead of using none, lets use "one". Then "one" type of development is compared with "printing press". It is same error as it is there in the original sentence.

Why D is correct - First, the past tense is correct here as the original sentence is talking about some past influences.
Second, "none" here doesn't refer back to the developments. It is making a statement that "it was none" which can be compared to "printing press".

Learning here is that you should take care in comparing things.
For example, "The recent discovery by the scientist is similar to the Atom bomb" - is wrong.
"The recent discovery by the scientist is similar to the discovery of Atom bomb" - right!


Just trying to help you with some examples, although they are not perfect.
Hope this helps!
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Thanks dexerash, make sense now




Here are my two cents after learning a few things in the past..

First and foremost, in the original sentence there is a comparison between "major developments in information technology" and "printing press". What is wrong here?
Comparing major development and printing press is wrong. Also, there is an error of Idiom "influential as" is wrong.

Why E is wrong - "none" was more influential than is incorrect because here "none" refers to one type of development and is being compared with "printing press"
For example, instead of using none, lets use "one". Then "one" type of development is compared with "printing press". It is same error as it is there in the original sentence.

Why D is correct - First, the past tense is correct here as the original sentence is talking about some past influences.
Second, "none" here doesn't refer back to the developments. It is making a statement that "it was none" which can be compared to "printing press".

Learning here is that you should take care in comparing things.
For example, "The recent discovery by the scientist is similar to the Atom bomb" - is wrong.
"The recent discovery by the scientist is similar to the discovery of Atom bomb" - right!


Just trying to help you with some examples, although they are not perfect.
Hope this helps![/quote]